College Football: All American game

[Diehardblues]

There's nothing like it. When it comes to a sport's impact on the fabric of American pop culture, none can rival college football. The NFL, NBA, and Major League Baseball may have a more visible global presence but, judging by sheer numbers alone, collegiate football truly is the all-American game. While major professional sports leagues field an average of roughly 30 teams, the NCAA's grouping for Division-I football alone includes 119 squads, spread across the country in every state. The most popular of those teams play in stadiums that hold over 100,000 fans, while NFL stadiums hold no more than 80,000. This discrepancy is in part because major college teams draw from all over their state, as opposed to just one metropolitan region. The type of player who performs for those packed stadiums differs too.

In college football, the players simply care more. NFL teams are generally comprised of what amounts to mercenaries, playing for the highest bidder. In college football, it's different. Despite the rise of national recruiting, most teams generally field players who grew up in the same region as the school they are attending. And since only a handful of players on the best teams will go on to the NFL, most college players are fighting for team pride and tradition, rather than a signing bonus or contract. In the words of Lou Holtz, the legendary, former coach of Notre Dame and South Carolina, "They don't get any salary, they just wanna win."

 

[JoeyBoy718]

I may be in the minority but I think college football is terrible. It's like watching the Browns and 49ers play every week. I like watching sports played at the highest level.

Here's a clear example. I just finished watching the end of the Alabama vs Mississippi State game. It was tied at 24 and Miss St got the ball back with 2 mins left and 1 timeout on the 25 yard line. The announcers asked "What do you see them doing here? Trying to score or playing conservative and going into overtime?" Then they both agreed that playing conservative would be the smart option.

Umm... what? When have you ever seen an NFL game played softly in the 2-minute warning with the game on the line? Could you imagine a Packers game saying "Do you see Aaron Rodgers killing these last 90 seconds and taking this into OT?" Are you serious? What kind of lackluster talent do you need have to ever consider that option?

What ended up happening? Miss St surprisingly did go for the win. Gotta give them credit there. But I guess I understand why the announcers said what they did. Miss St killed about 30 seconds of clock time before giving it back to Bama with over a minute to seal the game.

Anyway, so I get the passion and rivalries and all that. But do you really think the product is good? Do you really think the football is quality? Compared to the caliber of talent you have in the NFL, it's not even close if you ask me.

 

[Iago33]

There's nothing like it. When it comes to a sport's impact on the fabric of American pop culture, none can rival college football. The NFL, NBA, and Major League Baseball may have a more visible global presence but, judging by sheer numbers alone, collegiate football truly is the all-American game. While major professional sports leagues field an average of roughly 30 teams, the NCAA's grouping for Division-I football alone includes 119 squads, spread across the country in every state. The most popular of those teams play in stadiums that hold over 100,000 fans, while NFL stadiums hold no more than 80,000. This discrepancy is in part because major college teams draw from all over their state, as opposed to just one metropolitan region. The type of player who performs for those packed stadiums differs too.

In college football, the players simply care more. NFL teams are generally comprised of what amounts to mercenaries, playing for the highest bidder. In college football, it's different. Despite the rise of national recruiting, most teams generally field players who grew up in the same region as the school they are attending. And since only a handful of players on the best teams will go on to the NFL, most college players are fighting for team pride and tradition, rather than a signing bonus or contract. In the words of Lou Holtz, the legendary, former coach of Notre Dame and South Carolina, "They don't get any salary, they just wanna win."

The inequality in recruiting and the big money ruin it for me. The haves get a huge advantage and the corruption is palpable. The fact that it's aligned with higher education is insane--maybe back when it was a few people rowing against a rival, it may not have interfered with the purpose of the institution, but it's become huge business. The money has corrupted the whole thing and it is taking advantage of kids that get nothing out of it but a chance to showcase themselves for NFL and supposedly get an education. Not that I don't watch, but I can't get reconcile the hipocrisy. Of course, I get to see it from the inside.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I liked College Football a lot more 30 years ago. Still, I'd take College Football over Pro Football still.